After working in various art, video and community projects during the mid to late 70s Rob La Frenais became the founding editor of Performance Magazine in 1979., a significant cultural voice of the 80's and early 90s. In 1987 he became an independent curator, working on touring exhibitions in the UK including Confrontations, Last Sweat of Youth and At the Edge.. He was the director of the EDGE Biennale in London, Newcastle, Glasgow and Madrid in 1988, 1990 and 1992 and continued working as an independent curator throughout the early 90's, directing seasons and festivals, in Switzerland (where he first worked with Marko Peljhan, instigator of the Makrolab), he South Bank and the ICA, London , the CCA in Glasgow, and working with James Turrell on the first stage of his Skyspace for Northern England.. In 1997 he joined forces with Nicola Triscott in The Arts Catalyst to become Curator of the science-art agency. (see Nicola Triscott's biography). In 1999 he became the first curator to go on a zero-gravity flight, paving the way for a number of artists flights and space activities organised by the Arts Catalyst.

STEVE KURTZ, member of the internationally celebrated Critical Art Ensemble(CAE), was detained by the FBI last year. He faces a pre-trial hearing inthe US on February 10 and speaks 3 days earlier in the UK about thisfundamental threat to academic freedom of expression.

CAE is known for its critical discourse and activist practice. CAE standsfor the bottom-up appropriation of scientific knowledge and its utilisationfor tactical purposes. In recent projects, CAE has created a mobile DNAextractor, which tests groceries for possible genetic modification, and atransgenic bacteria release mechanism. It was this equipment and Kurtz'home biotech lab that generated a chain of bizarre events after the death ofKurtz's wife when Kurtz himself was detained by the FBI as a suspectedbio-terrorist.

Although the bioterrorism charges against Kurtz were finally dropped in late2004 by a Grand Jury, after an international storm of protest, he wascharged with mail fraud (a charge traditionally used by the Department ofJustice when they can't pin another charge on someone they think should begagged or neutralised).

Also indicted was Robert Ferrell, head of the Department of Genetics at theUniversity of Pittsburgh's School of Public Health. The charges concerntechnicalities of how Ferrell helped Kurtz to obtain $256 worth of harmlessbacteria for an art project. These new charges still carry a potential jailsentence of 20 years and threaten many researchers in the sciences whosource material in a similar way.

Former Royal Engineering Workshops, Farnborough, Hants, UKSunday September 12 1PM-6PMFree entry by reservation, places are limited so book as soon as possible.

A day of art and flying in and around Europe's largest wind tunnel

Join us in discovering one of Britain's 'secret places', the now deserted research facility where supersonic flight was developed and the ghosts of sixties rocket projects linger.

Right next to the runway used for the official Farnborough Airshow are the abandoned wind tunnels, test tanks and life-size helicopter flight simulators where secret projects were developed during the second world war and the cold war. Saved from demolition, they will now be developed into a heritage centre and business park.

Selected artists, working with ideas of flight, will present a day ofprocess-based works and experiments for a limited audience, with guided tours of the wind tunnels.

Simon Faithfull will present 'Escape Vehicle no.6', a live version of his acclaimed video work '30km', launching a meteorological balloon with live TV transmission to the edge of space.

Urgent benefit to raise funds for the LEGAL DEFENCE of artist and academic Steve Kurtz and members of the CRITICAL ART ENSEMBLE, currently appearing before a grand jury and liable to be indicted on June 29 2004 on trumped-up charges of bioterrorism.

Barry Schwabsky (art critic, co-editor international reviews, Artforum),Warren Neidich (NY artist, visiting artist Goldsmiths College) and Anjalika Sagar (UK artist), with the Arts Catalyst and ArtsAdmin invite you to join us in an unmissable gathering of artists, academics and concerned individuals to help raise the legal costs of Steve Kurtz of Critical ArtEnsemble.

How much? Free, but bring your chequebook. We are suggesting a donation of at least 24 pounds sterling.

What's happening?: Drinks, food donated by Story organic deli, celebrity speakers to be announced, music, performance, exclusive footage of Steve Kurtz speaking at London's Natural History Museum and many other entertainments. If you are interested in art and the freedom of knowledge this is the time to lend your support.

We can accept cash or cheques only, no cards (payable to The Arts Catalyst), either on the door or to The Arts Catalyst at the above address. If you are unable to attend but would like to make a donation, please do so either direct to the defence fund - www.caedefensefund.org - or by sending a chequeto Arts Catalyst. The Arts Catalyst is a charitable arts organisation(charity number: 1042433). Money donated will be transferred directly to the CAE Defense fund.

Why is money urgently needed?

Everyone deserves a fair trial and proper legal counsel. American legal fees are exorbitant and are already mounting up during the grand jury. Being indicted on or by June 29 could financially ruin Steve Kurtz for life. This is part of an international campaign to raise funds for his defence costs.

To accompany the details of the conference that we sent a few days ago,here's an image of the performance artist Marcel.li Antunez Roca who will beperforming at the conference. The artwork is called Project Daedalus andit was performed as part of the 2003 MIR zero gravity campaign that tookplace at Star City in Moscow in April of this year It is credited it toMarcel.li Antunez Roca. If you need any further info please get in touch.

As well as recently being the closest to us for 6000 years, the planetMars, glowing red in the night sky, will be invaded by numerous roboticprobes in the next few years. Is it now time for humans to go there, and ifso how will they survive the long journey in zero gravity? Should we OEtakegravity with us